The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) took stock of voter identification and registration operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite some major difficulties, in particular cases of death, these operations lasted 122 days to cover the entire national territory and in the 5 pilot countries. A total of 31 deaths have been recorded, but the CENI insisted that these cases are not related to the reliability of operations. These operations are necessary to organize reliable and credible elections in the DRC.
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Flooding caused by heavy rains has killed nearly 450 people and left thousands homeless in Kalehe territory, Democratic Republic of Congo. Humanitarian organizations, notably Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), have come to the aid of the victims, but the needs for water, food, shelter and household items remain high. Furthermore, the security situation remains tense, particularly in the province of Kwango, highlighting the need for durable solutions to guarantee the safety of Congolese residents.
The DRC has renewed its confidence in the Community of East African States to facilitate cross-border trade and allow the free movement of goods and people. President Tshisekedi expressed his critical position towards the regional force of the East African Community and remained hopeful for peaceful relations between the DRC and Rwanda. The DRC finances more than 60% of the presence of the regional force of the EAC on its soil to ensure the security of the populations of the Great Lakes region.
The city of Beni, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been hit by a new wave of insecurity. The police arrested twenty-two people suspected of being the perpetrators of burglaries and armed robberies in the city. The suspects were presented to the press with the recovered stolen items. This situation is part of a context of fight against insecurity in the city of Beni, a region affected by violence for several years. Interventions are also underway in the neighboring province of South Kivu, affected by floods. Vigilance is required with regard to the circulation of false information on social networks which could aggravate the situation.
A traffic accident that occurred this Saturday, March 13, 2023 on National Road number 2 in Bukavu (South Kivu) left three dead and nine injured. The victims were transported to various medical facilities in the region for treatment. The region faces challenges such as floods, health risks, violence and political instability. Despite the presence of the UAE regional force, the situation remains tense and President Felix Tshisekedi has issued an ultimatum for the departure of foreign troops.
In South Kivu, the floods caused more than 400 victims and destroyed buildings such as health centers and schools. UNICEF intervenes with a team of health specialists on site to help the victims and prevent diarrheal diseases, which are particularly threatening given the resurgence of water. Water, sanitation and hygiene kits are being distributed along with infection prevention and control (IPC) kits and chlorine for sanitation facilities to address disease risks, including cholera, which is endemic In the region. UNICEF is also deploying cholera response teams to strengthen disease surveillance and increase hygiene promotion to help affected populations in this humanitarian emergency.
The DRC strongly criticized the EAC regional force deployed to provide security in the east of the country, due to its inaction on the ground. The DRC now expects action from the regional force to neutralize armed groups such as the M23. However, the DRC finances nearly 60% of the presence of the regional force on its soil. The current mandate of the regional force extends until June and the DRC hopes that concrete results will soon be produced.
The DRC has launched negotiations for the repatriation of its refugees settled in Rwanda with the help of the UNHCR. Discussions began on May 15 in Geneva. The Congo will take its time to carefully study the situation of the refugees concerned with the help of the customary authorities, in order to guarantee a fair repatriation that respects the rights of the refugees. The National Assembly will also pass a resolution to govern the repatriation process. This initiative marks an important step towards the diplomatic resolution of the conflict between the two countries.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has decided to deploy a regional force to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the aim of restoring peace and security in the east of the country. This force will be deployed before the end of June but must coordinate with all the other peace initiatives active in the region. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Francophonie, Christophe Lutundula Apala, said that the DRC can now count on the mobilization of SADC to restore peace.
Deadly clashes took place this weekend in the province of Kwango in the Democratic Republic of Congo between the defense and security forces and the armed group Mobondo. Several deaths have been reported and vehicles can no longer travel on the road linking Kinshasa to Kwango province. In addition, the President of the DRC issued an ultimatum for the departure of foreign troops and the Directorate of Communication of the Presidency of the DRC dismissed its agents without a clear explanation. Fatshimétrie, the blog specializing in Congolese news, reports these events continuously.